Asthma Spring/Summer 2017

Keep summer allergies under control It’s part of keeping your asthma under control: avoiding the things that can make your symptoms worse. When warm weather comes, pollen can fill the air — and also your nose and lungs.

In spring, tree pollens are high.

In summer, flowers and grasses are more of a problem.

If you live in a humid area or have a damp basement or shed, molds can be a problem.

To breathe better this summerYou should have a plan to control your asthma triggers, including any allergies. Ask your doctor what you can do to feel better. These five ideas may help you too:

1. Take a shower after you’ve been outdoors.

2. Run the air conditioner and keep your home and car windows shut.

3. Ask for help with mowing your lawn or raking leaves.

4. Ask your doctor about allergy shots or other meds.

5. Try to limit outdoor activities when pollen

or mold counts are high. (These counts are usually easy to find online, through the local news and newspaper reports.) There’s often more pollen on dry, hot and windy mornings.

Sources: American Academy of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology (www.aaaai.org); National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov)

Contract services are funded in part under contract with the State of Arizona. This is general health information and should not replace the advice or care you get from your provider. Always ask your provider about your own health care needs. If you would no longer like to receive this mailing, please call Member Services and ask for the Care Management Department.Mercy Care Plan is administered by Aetna Medicaid Administrators, LLC, an Aetna company.

Contact usMercy Care Plan, 4350 E. Cotton Center Blvd., Building D, Phoenix, AZ 85040 Member Services: 602-263-3000 or 1-800-624-3879 (TTY/TDD 711)Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.MercyCarePlan.com

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Helping others help youChances are you don’t think twice about lending a helping hand. Asking for help? That’s not so easy.

Asking family and friends for help if you have a serious health problem — like heart disease or cancer — benefits both you and them. Very likely, friends and family who care about you want to help out. They may not know how.

To help you, your friends and family can:• Take you to and from

medical appointments

• Remind you to take your medicine if you sometimes forget

• Help you think of questions for your doctor

• Stay with you at doctor’s visits to help keep track of what’s said

• Lend a hand with chores when you don’t have much energy

Emotional support is important too. If you need someone to talk to, be sure to reach out. Sometimes a shoulder to lean on is the best medicine of all.

One last idea: When eating well or getting more exercise is important for your health, invite others to join you. Perhaps a friend could join you for daily walks. Or your whole

family could help fix — and enjoy — healthy meals. It’s a win for everyone.

Source: National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov)

Need help? A care manager can tell you more about asthma and help you connect with your provider. Call Member Services and ask for the Care Management Department.

Your rescue inhaler: Take it wherever you goThere’s something you always need by your side: your asthma rescue inhaler, also known as quick-relief medicine.

The rescue inhaler can stop asthma symptoms and attacks. It works quickly to relax the airways in your lungs to help you breathe better again.

There are different types of quick-relief medicines. One is called albuterol. Your doctor can help decide which one is right for you.

Know your inhalerIt’s important to use your inhaler the right way. Ask your doctor or nurse to show you how.

Know when to use your inhaler. Your doctor can tell you the right times to use it. That might be when you have symptoms like coughing or feeling short of breath. Some people need to use their inhaler before they exercise too.

If you find that you use your inhaler more often than prescribed, let your doctor know. This could mean you need a change in your asthma treatment plan.

Finally, don’t forget to take your inhaler with you when you travel.

Sources: American Lung Association (www.lung.org); National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov)

Learn more. Visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ health. Click on “Lung.”